“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” ( Gal 5:16).
When we allow Christ to come into our lives, the Holy Spirit begins to work and reform our character. Every person who accepts Christ comes with a baggage. The baggage could be where those “acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like” ( Galatians 5: 19-21).
The Apostle Paul writing to the Galatians explains that one must be willing to sacrifice the flesh in order to overcome the corruption of these evil influences. He writes, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” ( vv 24). But how does one do that, anyway? It is only by allowing the Holy Spirit begin the work of reformation that we experience change. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” ( vv 23- 24).
It is of no doubt that any of us may experience the corruption of the flesh even as believers in various ways. For some the struggle is with sexual immorality. There are those where it is idolatry of money. Some it is fits of rage. Some people struggle with unbridled ambition. There are those who are given to drunkenness. Some, even as believers, are quick to cause dissensions. Since Paul does not exhaust the list, we might as well add, gluttony and the use foul language. In fact, later he adds, “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” ( vv 24).
For all, Paul urges us not just to recognize that these are the works of flesh, but even more, to know, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” ( vv 24-25).
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I submit to you that my life is led by your Holy Spirit who gives us the power to overcome the works of the flesh, so that I am led by you, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
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08/05/2024 - 09/05/2024 All day“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
The culture of sharing gifts runs through scriptures and is at the heart of the Gospel. Upon realizing that Jesus Christ had been born the three wise main did not just go empty handed. “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Mathew 2:11).
When Jacob decided to return to his country, he went with gifts to soften the heart of his twin brother Esau, whom he had left maddened at him for various wrongs. “Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau: 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 30 female camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys” ( Genesis 32: 13-15). The reason was, Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.” So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp” (vv 2—21).
Esau was already a wealthy man and had no need of the gifts presented. But Jacob pleaded with him. “Please take this gift I have brought you, for God has been very gracious to me. I have more than enough.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted the gift” (Genesis 33: 11). This symbol of good touched Esau, brightened his heart, burying the old acrimonious relation.
Taking after these two instances believers should be in the habit of sharing gifts. We should visit each other not empty handed but like the wise men with gifts, not so much that those we are gifting are lacking, but as a way of blessing them. Proverbs 11:25-26, says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
Most importantly we bless each other with gifts because we have received the most important gift there is in life, the gift of salvation. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I thank you for the most precious gift of all that you gave me of eternal life through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and so I pray that I may not hesitate to share this gift and bless those with as much whom you enable me to meet, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
